The first question asked to Franck Haise at a press conference almost always concerns the medical point, and the bad news is too often more present than the good.
Unfortunately, this has been the daily life of the Gym since the summer because the black streak began in preparation with Terem Moffi’s serious knee injury, then that of Morgan Sanson’s ankle, just before the first match against Auxerre.
Since then, there has been a constant back-and-forth in an infirmary that is always full, or never long enough to say that the curse is definitely over. The last international break was no exception and the Gym therefore prepared for its trip to Nantes by having to juggle international absences, injuries and uncertainties.
The Nice coach was sometimes only able to work with eight pros. And the group flew to Loire-Atlantique yesterday without its best player from the start of the season, Tanguy Ndombele, caught up by pain in an area located between the hip and the adductor.
But also without his dynamiter Mohamed-Ali Cho (Achilles tendon) and the defense stabilizer Youssouf Ndayishimiye (back). And as if there weren’t enough hard blows already, the steely captain Dante is suspended for the match.
“A real force in this group”
OGC Nice will therefore go to the team which is right behind it in the ranking (10th and 11th) with a very experimental defense, where Bombito, with 18 months in the professional world, should be a leader alongside Mendy and from an Abdelmonem to the revival.
“Even if our two weeks of work have been special, and there are still many absentees, those who will be on the ground will have to be close to 100% to achieve the objective,” called Franck Haise, a coach who will still be able to be satisfied with recovering Gaëtan Laborde, two months after his fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his foot.
With only a few collective training sessions in the legs, the attacker will not be “100% from now on” but he will bring “his freshness, his desire, his determination” to a team which is coming off a convincing draw against PSG (1-1) but badly needs a third success this season. Even more before continuing his three-match week with a trip to Ferencvaros, in C3, and especially the derby against Monaco.
“Does this figure of two victories bother me? I wouldn’t say that. It still bothers me a littlerecognizes Franck Haise. But what I see of the team’s progress gives me reassurance that the players are moving forward. It’s positive despite all the problems we’ve had since the start of the season. There is real strength in the group. I’m happy with that and the way the players are training. We all need to validate all of this with results that are more positive than they are.” It is urgent to move forward, despite the headwinds.
